The present invention pertains to a shifting device for the powerless or non mechanical transmission of shift commands to an automatic transmission of a motor vehicle, with a gearshift lever mounted pivotably in at least one shift gate, a detection device for detecting the position of the gearshift lever and a powerless or non mechanical transmission device for shift commands to the automatic transmission, wherein the detection device and/or the transmission device are operated at least partially electrically/electromagnetically.
Such a shifting device has been known from, e.g., patent application DE 197 56 034 A1 (to the present assignee). This patent application discloses a shifting device for an automatic transmission of a motor vehicle, which makes possible the powerless or non mechanical transmission of shift commands to an automatic transmission of a motor vehicle. This shifting device has a housing, a gearshift lever pivotable around a fulcrum point in at least one shift gate, a detection device for detecting the position of the gearshift lever, and an electric signal transmission device for transmitting the shift commands to the automatic transmission.
One problem of such so-called xe2x80x9cshift by wirexe2x80x9d shifting devices is that normal operation of the transmission becomes impossible in case of power failure, e.g., in case of failure of the battery or the generator. Thus, a vehicle, which was parked overnight and in which subsequently a failure of the power failure occurred, with the transmission in the Park (P) position, can be moved or towed with great effort only, because the transmission in the parking position prevents the movement of the drive wheels. It would consequently be desirable to offer a possibility of shifting the transmission into the neutral position, which makes possible at least towing without the drive wheels being blocked, in an emergency even in the case of so-called xe2x80x9cshift by wirexe2x80x9d shifting devices and transmissions suitable herefor.
The basic technical object of the present invention is to provide a shifting device for the powerless or non mechanical transmission of shift commands to an automatic transmission of a motor vehicle, which makes it possible to achieve the unlocking of the parking position of an automatic transmission to be operated by the shifting device even when power supply is not present. In addition, an automatic transmission suitable for this shall be provided.
According to the invention, a shifting device for a powerless or non mechanical transmission of shift commands to an automatic transmission of a motor vehicle includes a shift gate, a gearshift lever mounted pivotably with respect to the shift gate, a detection device for detecting the position of said gearshift lever, and a powerless or non mechanical i.e., by wire) signal transmission device for transmitting shift commands to the automatic transmission. The detection device and/or the transmission device are operated at least partially electrically/electromagnetically. A brake unlocking means is provided for unlocking the parking brake of the automatic transmission. The brake unlocking means includes a mechanical coupling between said gearshift lever and said automatic transmission.
In a so-called xe2x80x9cshift by wirexe2x80x9d shifting device, i.e., a shifting device for the powerless or non mechanical transmission of shift commands to an automatic transmission of a motor vehicle, it is possible despite power failure to unlock the automatic transmission from a parking position of the gearshift lever, in which a parking brake is active and the drive wheels are blocked, and to bring it into a neutral position, in which the drive wheels are freely movable. It is necessary for this to establish a corresponding mechanical coupling between the shifting device and the automatic transmission, which coupling is, however, preferably uncoupled when power supply is available, e.g., with the ignition turned on. The automatic transmission suitable for this must correspondingly have a mechanical connection, by means of which unlocking from the parking position is possible.
Corresponding to the idea of the present invention, it is proposed that the prior-art shifting device for the powerless or non mechanical transmission of shift commands to an automatic transmission of a motor vehicle, with a gearshift lever mounted pivotably in at least one shift gate, with a detection device for detecting the position of the gearshift lever, and with a transmission device for transmitting shift commands to the automatic transmission, wherein the detection device and/or the transmission device are operated at least partially electrically, be improved such that a means for mechanical coupling between the gearshift lever and the automatic transmission is provided, which can bring about the unlocking of the parking position of the automatic transmission. Due to this additional mechanical coupling of the automatic transmission with the shifting device, it is achieved that at least the unlocking of the parking position of the automatic transmission is possible in case of a power failure.
In another embodiment of the shifting device, it is proposed that a preferably electrically operated means be provided for unlocking the mechanical coupling between the gearshift lever and the automatic transmission. Due to this mechanical uncoupling of the shifting device and the automatic transmission, which may be necessary for the satisfactory and normal function depending on the design of the automatic transmission, it is also possible to utilize this function as an additional theft protection or a vehicle immobilizer, because power transmission between the engine and the drive wheels is made possible in the uncoupled state only. The unlocking means may be arranged according to the present invention not only at the shifting device, but also at the transmission, but the forces to be normally applied are stronger in this case than in case of uncoupling directly at the shifting device.
In a special design of the shifting device, provisions are made for the means for the mechanical uncoupling between the gearshift lever and the automatic transmission to have a hook, which can engage a counterpiece, whose movement is coupled with the shifting movement of the gearshift lever.
The means for mechanical coupling between the shifting device and the automatic transmission may be, e.g., a Bowden cable and/or a linkage and/or a hydraulic connection or a linkage.
Furthermore, according to another aspect of the invention, the shifting device may be designed in an especially advantageous embodiment such that the means for the mechanical coupling has two lever arms, wherein the first lever arm is preferably connected pivotably to the shifting device, so that a pivoting actuates the Bowden cable and/or the hydraulic connection to the automatic transmission, and is, furthermore, pivotably connected to the second lever arm, which acts as a hook.
The shifting device now preferably has a spring element between the first and second lever arms, which secures the engagement of the hook with its counterpiece. The spring element may be designed as a coil spring or as a leaf spring. It is used to guarantee a secure connection between the hook and its counterpiece even during vibrations of the vehicle and unfavorable changes in position. The counterpiece may be, e.g., a bolt connected to the gearshift lever or a roller or the gearshift lever itself. The counterpiece may also be an additional hook, which is connected to the gearshift lever and is optionally fastened pivotably.
To make possible the early engagement of the hook in the counterpiece with low force, the second lever arm, especially the hook, may have a sliding surface, which is beveled such that the hook can yield when approaching the counterpiece and then hook in.
Concerning the arrangement and the directions of movement of the two lever arms, it is proposed that the first and second lever arms preferably have two pivot axes, which may be arranged in parallel or at right angles to one another.
Furthermore, it is proposed according to the present invention that the means for unlocking the mechanical coupling between the gearshift lever and the automatic transmission may be an electrically actuated bolt or a switchable pull-type or push-type electromagnet, which can move the hook into an unlocking position.
To embody the idea of the present invention, it is also necessary, besides the design of the shifting device according to the present invention, to design the automatic transmission for connection to this shifting device such that a mechanical, power-controlled input for the direct mechanical unlocking of the parking position, preferably for the transition into a neutral position, be provided besides the input for the powerless or non mechanical transmission of the shift commands from the shifting device.
The transmission may be advantageously designed such that the mechanical input is a connection to a Bowden cable, or that the mechanical input is a connection to a hydraulic line.
Other features of the present invention appear from the subclaims and the following description of a preferred exemplary embodiment with reference to the drawings.